The author criticizes the recent trend of "girl boss" characters in movies and TV shows, particularly in the Marvel and Star Wars franchises. They argue that these characters are often portrayed as overly perfect, powerful, and flawless, without any relatable struggles or character development. This phenomenon is linked to the concept of "Mary Sues," self-insertion characters in fanfiction that are overly idealized and lack flaws.
The author claims that these characters are not only unrelatable but also uninspiring, as they do not undergo any meaningful transformation or growth. Instead, they are often used to promote a simplistic, activist-inspired worldview that oversimplifies complex social issues.
The author contrasts these modern "girl boss" characters with more nuanced and relatable female characters from older shows, such as River from Firefly, who undergoes a transformative journey and faces realistic struggles.
Ultimately, the author argues that the proliferation of "girl boss" characters is a result of lazy writing and a desire to appease modern activist ideologies, rather than a genuine attempt to create well-rounded and inspiring female characters.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The author was watching an episode of The Mandalorian and fell asleep, only to be jolted awake and surprised by the presence of Lizzo, Jack Black, and Doc Brown.
2. The author questions why the show is not about Mando, but instead about Bo Katan.
3. Bo Katan is described as being in her "girl boss era".
4. The author mentions other "girl bosses" in recent movies and TV shows, including Cassie from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Princess Shuri, Nakia, Okoye, and Ri-Ri Williams.
5. The author also mentions 9-year-old Princess Leia from the Kenobi series and Reva, a self-taught powerful warrior.
6. The author notes that Rey will be returning to the big screen to rebuild the Jedi order.
7. The author explains what a Mary Sue is, citing examples from fanfiction and the character of Bella from Twilight.
8. The author argues that modern female characters in movies and TV shows are often portrayed as perfect and lacking in flaws.
9. The author notes that these characters are often activists who find it impossible to see their own hands in the issues of the world.
10. The author contrasts these characters with River from the TV show Firefly, who is a broken and unstable character despite her abilities.
11. The author notes that River's abilities come at a price, and that she is not exempt from realistic narrative structures.
12. The author argues that the "girl bosses" in modern movies and TV shows are not intended to inspire, but rather to tell the audience that they are superior.
13. The author notes that these characters are often portrayed as being able to accomplish great things without any training or effort.
14. The author mentions that Ri-Ri Williams created a vibranium detector for a school project without even possessing any vibranium to test it out.
15. The author notes that these characters are often written to be perfect and lacking in flaws, and that this is because they are not intended to inspire like the heroes of old.